Livestock ear or identification tags have been commonly used to identify livestock for centuries. There are a great number of prior art devices which have been used in the past to secure an identification tag to livestock.
A very common design for livestock ear tags is the use of a two-piece tag assembly. The tag assembly will include an ear tag panel which includes indicia for identifying the particular animal, and a securing member or securing element which is disposed on the opposite side of the ear and locks the panel in place.
Plastic molded ear tags have become the most common found in the art, because of their relative ease in manufacturing. Both the ear tag panel and ear tag locking device can be molded at relatively low cost, and with molding materials which withstand the wear and tear of use. However, one disadvantage with many of the locking members which are made of a plastic molded material are that they are structurally insufficient when installed by common ear tag pliers or installation devices. That is, because the locking members are made of a plastic material, they are often not structurally strong enough to withstand the bending stresses induced upon them when engaged by the installation tool. Another disadvantage for locking members is that they are often a particular design which can only be used with a particular type of ear tag panel. Therefore, there is no "universal" locking member which may be used with a wide array of ear tag panels, nor which can be installed by many different types of ear tag installation tools. Therefore, there is a need for a structurally strong, yet simple and universal ear tag locking member which can withstand the stresses placed upon it when loaded into an installation tool.
One example of a prior art ear tag is U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,117. This tag includes a stud for piercing the ear of an animal, the stud shaft being made of a hard resilient material for extending through the ear, and the ear piercing tip also being of a hard resilient material attached to one end of the shaft. A retaining flange attaches to an opposite end of the stud, and also is made of a hard resilient material which extends outward from the shaft to prevent withdrawal of the stud from the animal's ear when installed. A second retaining flange of flexible material is attached to the first retaining flange so the flanges co-act to thereby reduce snagging of the animal's ear tag.
Another example of a prior art tag is Great Britain Patent No. 1,187,313. This invention discloses a pair of elliptically-shaped plate elements, one of which is provided with a dowel to be inserted through an orifice provided in the other plate element. The dowel is arranged centrally of the one plate elements and extends normal thereto. The tip of the dowel is in the form of a lance or arrow-shaped penetrating tip.
Yet another prior art device includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,924. This invention discloses a two-piece ear tag with the first piece having a first part with a flat portion containing an identifying indicia. The first part is connected to a second part also containing an identifying indicia by a severable section. The second part further includes an anchoring pin or locking member with a sharp tip for piercing the animal's ear and extending into locking engagement in an opening of the first part of the tag.
Yet another example of a prior art device includes the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,452. This invention discloses an ear tag device including a rivet, a flexible base having rib-like reinforcement ramps, a panel for indicia, and an applicator tool. The flexible base allows the rivet and the panel to move forward when mounted through the ear, until the reinforcement ramps bend together which lock and stiffen the rivet preventing it from being pulled back through the animal's ear.
While the foregoing prior art may be adequate for its intended purposes, none teach or disclose the advantages of the invention as discussed below.